Ability to design, implement, and assess learner-centered lessons and units that incorporate technology and use appropriate and effective practices in teaching and learning with technology.
I teach many lessons that incorporate things that I learned from this course, especially since I teach a technology elective to 8-12 graders each semester. The first lesson that I decided to incorporate in this portfolio was a lesson where I was teaching students how to write a personal narrative, and, as a way to brainstorm for their narrative, I asked them to create an online poster or a Glog. For this assignment, I asked students to create a glog with the following information and components:
I. Characters a. Who was involved in their story? b. Where and when did the story take place? c. What was the problem they faced in the story? d. Was the problem solved? How did things end up?
II. Formula of your story a. Exposition (How will they set the stage for their story?) b. Rising Action (How will the plot thicken in their story?) c. Climax (What is the turning point in their story?) d. Falling Action (What is the resolution of their story?)
III. Each poster must include: a. An Official Title (Personal Narrative: Online Poster Assignment & Name) i. See my example here for more information b. All components from above lists [I & II] c. Personalized custom Glog that includes at least 3 graphics from the glog library.
Reflecting on the above lesson, I am very proud of the work my students turned in. Some of the work, like the sample glog I included at the bottom of this page, needed much more attention to detail. I think for the purposes of the personal narrative, the group members were able to take the online poster and use it as a brainstorming or prewriting activity, but I wish they could have spent a little more time perfecting this technology sample. For the most part, I noticed that all my students enjoyed the glog. A lot of them loved that they could add colorful backgrounds that were aesthetically appealing. Two students actually used glogster for a history assignment a few weeks later, and their teacher, who is a friend and mentor of mine, was commenting on how impressed she was that they used such an innovated strategy to complete their nine-weeks project.
For the second lesson that I incorporated in this portfolio, I asked students in my technology class to make an online video or an animoto that highlight or illuminated one of their classes that they were currently enrolled in. For this assignment, I asked students to create an animoto with the following information and components:
I.Information on a class they are narrowing in on: a. What class are they documenting? b. What makes this class special? c. What are they learning?
II. Each video must include: a. An Official Title (Animoto Assignment & Name)
i. See my example above for more information b. All components from above list. c. Personalized custom animoto that includes at least 3 graphics from the animoto library.
As I reflect on the second lesson, I cannot help but think about how much fun my students had creating this animoto video. Since I only have this class for 45 minutes a day, this activity was a perfect activity to introduce to them. I was actually observed by central office the day that I was teaching this activity, and all of the visitors were impressed as my students were not only creating animoto for this assignment, but they were also creating personal videos for their friends and families when they finished their in-class assignment. Overall, I considered this assignment to be very successful. I feel as though my students met the following standards:
oUnderstand and use technology systems
oSelect and use applications effectively and productively
oTroubleshoot systems and applications
oTransfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies
Lastly, if I could change one thing about this lesson, it would be that I would assign students a supplemental writing assignment/reflection that made them put into words how animoto helped them learn and understand technology systems.
Ability to design, implement, and assess learner-centered lessons and units that incorporate technology and use appropriate and effective practices in teaching and learning with technology.
I teach many lessons that incorporate things that I learned from this course, especially since I teach a technology elective to 8-12 graders each semester. The first lesson that I decided to incorporate in this portfolio was a lesson where I was teaching students how to write a personal narrative, and, as a way to brainstorm for their narrative, I asked them to create an online poster or a Glog. For this assignment, I asked students to create a glog with the following information and components:
I. Characters
a. Who was involved in their story?
b. Where and when did the story take place?
c. What was the problem they faced in the story?
d. Was the problem solved? How did things end up?
II. Formula of your story
a. Exposition (How will they set the stage for their story?)
b. Rising Action (How will the plot thicken in their story?)
c. Climax (What is the turning point in their story?)
d. Falling Action (What is the resolution of their story?)
III. Each poster must include:
a. An Official Title (Personal Narrative: Online Poster Assignment & Name)
i. See my example here for more information
b. All components from above lists [I & II]
c. Personalized custom Glog that includes at least 3 graphics from the glog library.
Reflecting on the above lesson, I am very proud of the work my students turned in. Some of the work, like the sample glog I included at the bottom of this page, needed much more attention to detail. I think for the purposes of the personal narrative, the group members were able to take the online poster and use it as a brainstorming or prewriting activity, but I wish they could have spent a little more time perfecting this technology sample. For the most part, I noticed that all my students enjoyed the glog. A lot of them loved that they could add colorful backgrounds that were aesthetically appealing. Two students actually used glogster for a history assignment a few weeks later, and their teacher, who is a friend and mentor of mine, was commenting on how impressed she was that they used such an innovated strategy to complete their nine-weeks project.
For the second lesson that I incorporated in this portfolio, I asked students in my technology class to make an online video or an animoto that highlight or illuminated one of their classes that they were currently enrolled in. For this assignment, I asked students to create an animoto with the following information and components:
I. Information on a class they are narrowing in on:
a. What class are they documenting?
b. What makes this class special?
c. What are they learning?
II. Each video must include:
a. An Official Title (Animoto Assignment & Name)
i. See my example above for more information
b. All components from above list.
c. Personalized custom animoto that includes at least 3 graphics from the animoto library.
As I reflect on the second lesson, I cannot help but think about how much fun my students had creating this animoto video. Since I only have this class for 45 minutes a day, this activity was a perfect activity to introduce to them. I was actually observed by central office the day that I was teaching this activity, and all of the visitors were impressed as my students were not only creating animoto for this assignment, but they were also creating personal videos for their friends and families when they finished their in-class assignment. Overall, I considered this assignment to be very successful. I feel as though my students met the following standards:
Lastly, if I could change one thing about this lesson, it would be that I would assign students a supplemental writing assignment/reflection that made them put into words how animoto helped them learn and understand technology systems.
Student Work Samples from Assignment #1:
Link to Student Work Samples from Assignment #2:
1. http://animoto.com/play/xiNQGgz8JkUwGzq4eobIiA
2. http://animoto.com/play/A18TYfovtzfR0puqA10LGw
3. http://animoto.com/play/dpEqnlRvVTVLxrPRGD1RTA